THANK YOU!! I was thrilled when I stumbled on your forum, only a few months ago. Must be because I've been living in the 'Prehistoric-Trapped-Mommy-Age', and recently decided to search for other humans!

I was raised with an appreciation for many forms of art, studies, applications, and nurtured my own creativity in various ways over the years. Nothing ever spoke to me completely, it was just a general contentment felt when I could create anything beautiful out of whatever was available, and enjoy sharing it with others. I'm blessed to have four children who each, differently, show this same creativity and talent in art.....but that is where my artistic 'community', or 'support-network', ends.

It's tough to find culture amongst the cheese curds, but WOW, I had no idea there were so many that love to paint the way I do! I have a love for kids, so this grew from playing with my own, to wanting to take time to make other kids smile when their day isn't so bright! After I realized I wasn't able to re-enter the same work force I had left to raise a family; plus,did the in-home-daycare-thing; I happened upon a passion for face painting. I educated myself with books and tutorials, and tried to decipher the best tools & techniques for me. I've crash-coursed myself by volunteering at school, church, friend's birthdays, & whichever of my children's friends weren't too scared, etc.-and I WILL continue to volunteer whenever possible. I am NOT fast, never a strong attribute, but I have tons of heart! After reading so many supportive posts by experienced painters, seeing so many talented artists sharing such amazing gifts of their work, & themselves, this is truly a group I am in awe of!

I hope you will all know how much the simple love of what you do and willingness to help others in the same journeys, is appreciated. I hope our children will be doing this for others in the future, also.

Now, if I can keep my migraines away long enough...I should go practice before next week's school fair! Many happy faces, to you all! [i]

Hi, it's funny that some kids are afraid to be painted, I had a little girl on the weekend who watched me paint practically the whole two hours I was there, but she wouldn't get anything. I hope your kids continue to let you paint them, mine run whenever they see my paints come out....

Dear silversky:My children loved getting their faces painted. And then...they changed. They would run screaming from me when I opened my kit.

I replaced my family with a practice head. They did not even notice they had been replaced.

Now, they like being painted a little more. My oldest (Google "Madison" and "Prada" and you will see my daughter, Madison was willing to be painted the last time she visited. My middle daughter, Darcy is my model for a body painting competition on Saturday, April 13th. My youngest daughter, Holland likes creepy, scarey, icky special effects.

I do not recommend that you try to give birth to future practice heads. It is way cheaper to purchase a practice head than to give birth to a child. At least, it hurts a lot less.

Thanks you all!Lisa, You made me laugh! I wasn't as fortunate as you; my own children were skeptical/afraid of me coming near them with a paintbrush right off the bat! Ha, ha! Only my two girls have occasionally let me 'experiment', before growing weary; my boys...they take A LOT of bribery! I will say, it's nice to have the kids' friends over, and they love to sit for my full face practice. I too, have a practice head; not fond of using, but it helps. One day my husband asked who this 'Elmer' guy was that I was spending so much time with...no worries, it's the name of the decapitated head I use to practice with!